There are a variety of inhalation devices which release aerosol medication, in a continuous spray or in a metered dose or predetermined amount of medication, directly into the patient's mouth. Typically, these devices were activated by the pressured actuation of the user's fingers, button action, or other related manual techniques, although some are activated by the inhaling action of the user. Heretofore, no simple cheap disposable reliable breath activated devices were developed, and consequently no breath activated devices have reached the market.
Measured dose aerosol canisters of the medicine to be inhaled into the lungs are manufactured in standard sizes by a variety of pharmaceutical companies. These aerosols are much the same as normal aerosol cans, except that when the nozzle pin is depressed, continuous spray does not result; instead a short spray releases a fixed amount of medicine. The spray stops until the nozzle pin is released and depressed again. Currently, these aerosols are used with manually activated inhaler devices that mix atmospheric air with the sprayed medication, permitting a complete breath of air by the patient with his medicine. Aerosol medicines are also available in continuous spray aerosols which continually spray as long as the nozzle pin is depressed.
Proper use of these manual activated devices requires that the spray be activated at the beginning of the breath, so that all the medicine is carried to the lungs as required, and not left in part in the mouth, throat, or spray device, where it is useless. If not all the medicine reaches the lungs, then it is difficult to determine the size of pulmonary dose actually received, and how big a "make up" dose is needed. Over-dosage can be as big a problem as under-dosage. Hence, the timing of the spray activation is critical to proper medication.
Inhalation drug delivery to the lungs is commonly used by asthmatics. Asthma tends to strike small children and old people. These age groups often have bad coordination and weak hands, which can be worsened by the onset of the asthma attack. Hence, the timing of the breadth spray of medicine can be a difficult problem for the people who need it. Heretofore, there has been a frustrated need for a simple disposable device that automatically activates the specific dose medicine spray canisters at the very start of the inhalation on the device.
The prior art teaches a variety of devices to administer medicine to the lungs by spraying while inhaling, but they are manually activated and not activated by the inhalation activity. As a result, these devices do not solve or address the timing or coordination problem with such sprays.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,227, issued to Pitesky, et al, on Dec. 4, 1973, discloses a device whereby a cartridge containing gas under pressure is opened by a pin which results in a flow of released gas. The opening is activated by manually rotating a housing containing a pressurized container and valve-supported head relative to one another until the cartridge is punctured U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,231, issued to Hogg, on June 20, 1967, discloses a fluid regulating valve mechanism whereby the flow rate of a fluid released from a puncturable storage container which is ultimately inhaled by the user is metered by regulating the size of the needle valve formed when the pin pierces the container. This process is started by manually depressing an actuator so that the pin will pierce into the compressed container. U.S. Pat. No. 3,045,671, issued to Updegraff, on July 24, 1962, discloses a device whereby a cartridge containing gas under pressure is pierced by a hollow pin or needle which releases a gas which is ultimately inhaled by the user. The piercing of the pressured capsule containing the gas is performed by manually screwing the pin into the cartridge as sealed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,012,694, issued to Johnston, on Dec. 12, 1961, discloses a gas dispensing device whereby gas contained in a pressurized container is released when a point punctures the container. A hand wheel manually operates a threaded member which moves the capsule closer to the point which eventually punctures the container. A sleeve may manually be moved to restrict the opening of the hole and thus regulate the flow of gas to be inhaled. U.S. Pat. No. 1,693,730, issued to Schroeder, on Dec. 4, 1928, discloses a device whereby the quantity of air inhaled corresponds to the depth of the users's breathing. There are no pins or piercing devices needed to dispense a predetermined amount of gas. The flow of the compressed gas creates a vacuum or partial vacuum which draws medicament into the device by droplets. These are then driven into the nozzle and eventually inhaled in a fine spray.
The prior art teaches a limited number of breath activated medication spray devices, but heretofore none are simple, cheap, disposable and reliable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,949, issued to Kropp on Jan. 25, 1972, discloses a device whereby inhaling of a device causes a diaphragm to activate a complicated system of springs and levers, depressing the nozzle pin of an aerosol can, causing the aerosol to discharge into the user's mouth. This device attempts to accomplish a noble purpose, but fails. First, it does not function as intended. The same action that causes the diaphragm to activate the aerosol also opens a vent to allow air to enter the device, breaking the low pressure behind the diaphragm, robbing the diaphragm of its power. Secondly, the diaphragm must generate the considerable power necessary to depress the nozzle pin. (This is distinguished from the instant invention which uses a diaphragm only to generate the power necessary to slide a pin over a hole.) Third, the Kropp invention uses a complicated collection of levers and springs, which makes it big, heavy, expensive, and not cheap or disposable. Fourth, the Kropp device requires a lateral spray cap to come with its aerosol, and the standard medicinal aerosols on the market today do not have such a cap.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,854 issued to Michaels, et al on May 28, 1974, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,503 issued to Rosenthal and French on Aug. 15, 1978, both use ultrasonic nebulizers attached to respirators to allow medication to be inhaled. These devices are expensive, large electronic devices, are not cheap pocket sized and disposable, and make no use of the standard aerosol medicines on the market today.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,393, issued to Landis and Kassey on Mar. 10, 1987, is a "breath-activated medication spray" that attempts to address the timing and coordination problem. This device attempts to accomplish a noble purpose, but has several deficiencies. First, it is not necessarily inhalation activated. It must be manually cocked before it can work at all. When the batteries become weak or dead, its timing is first thrown off and then it stops functioning completely. In addition, this device can be inadvertently activated by jiggling or turning upside down. Secondly, it is a relatively large, heavy, and cumbersome device to use. Thirdly, the manufacture of the device is complicated and expensive and it cannot be made cheaply enough to be disposable, since it has two springs, batteries, a solenoid, an electrical timing switch, a moving magnet, and various electrical wirings. This device cannot be used by a person laying face up on his or her back. Furthermore, it is configured to spray, not directly into the inhalation nozzle, but onto the side wall of a breathing tube. As a result, this device encourages inaccurate dose dispensing since it is unpredictable how much of a dose will adhere to the side of the tube.
The present invention, on the other hand, is distinguishable from the prior art on many points. It is solely and reliably activated by the start of an inhalation. The present invention requires no manual cocking, and requires no batteries or power source. The present invention cannot be activated by jiggling. In its physical embodiment, the present invention is small, light, and simple to use. The present invention can be made out of molded plastic, with only one moving part. As a result, the present invention is cheap and can be used as a disposable dispenser. The present invention can be used in any orientation to the direction of gravity or in a weightless state. The present invention can be used on a patient in any position or while moving. The present invention can also be configured to spray directly out of its mouth nozzle without spray being forced onto the wall of the breathing cavity. It can be used in a mechanized respirator or an unconscious patient. It uses commonly available aerosol medicine spray cans, of measured dose or continuous spray.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an inhalation device that is truly activated by the inhalation of the user.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an inhalation device that is small, light, and simple to use.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an inhalation device that can administer a dosage of a medication at the very beginning of the inhalation.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an inhalation device that can be used in any orientation.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an inhalation device that minimizes the number of moving parts so as to be cheap to make and hence disposable.
It is an object of the present invention to be used in a mechanical respirator on an unconscious patient.
It is an object of this invention to use commonly available aerosol spray cans of medicine.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.